


More to Touch

by Laylah



Category: The Last Remnant
Genre: M/M, Polyamory, Xeno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-13
Updated: 2009-11-13
Packaged: 2017-10-02 14:01:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caedmon's ears flick back and forth a couple of times, like he can't figure out what they should be doing. It's kind of reassuring that he's nervous, too, even though he's like a million years older than Rush. "I am interested," he says at last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More to Touch

They reach Balterossa near sunset, when the light has turned molten crimson in the west and the whole city glows like it's on fire. The fighting in the desert wasn't so bad -- it wasn't the right season for the Spiritlords to be hunting around here, and Abelisks might be a pain to fight but they're pretty easy to avoid -- but the weather's enough to take it out of most of them. When they get to the Stardust Hostel, Dave rents all the free rooms they have. It's probably a little excessive, since they _can_ sleep four or five to a room if they have to, but it's nice to be able to spread out a little more. Rush goes up to their room with Dave before dinner to get cleaned up some and ditch his armor for the night.

"Pretty good day, huh?" he says.

Dave smiles. "It was," he says. "The new blade is working out rather well."

"You look really impressive with it," Rush says. The Frostblade is a brutal piece of gear, even better now that Dave's getting the hang of its advanced arts. "Totally hardcore."

"Thank you," Dave says, in that patient, almost-laughing voice that means Rush is still the least formal guy he's ever talked to. "I'm flattered, I'm sure."

Rush slides his arms around Dave's waist and leans in to kiss him, just because they haven't all day and now he can. He can taste the salt of sweat on Dave's upper lip, feel the way Dave's hands settle at the small of his back, fingers curled in his belt.

It's the nervous twist in the pit of his stomach that lets him know he's really going to go through with it, really going to ask. "So, Dave," he says as he pulls back a little. "That stuff we were talking about in Baaluk..."

"About Caedmon?" Dave asks.

Rush nods. "You really mean it?" he says. It's not like he's ever known Dave to lie, or anything, but he does really want to be sure.

"I did," Dave says. "I trust you, and he's a good man. If it's something you want to do, then I think you should go ahead."

"You're the best," Rush says, and that makes Dave kiss him again. After that kiss, he says it, before he can lose his nerve. "I think I'm going to ask him tonight, if that's okay."

Dave nods. "All right," he says. "Have a good time."

"Thanks, Dave," Rush says.

It takes a few more kisses to demonstrate how glad he is that Dave's so cool about this, but eventually they have to stop just so they don't wind up missing dinner with everyone. Wouldn't be the first time, but the guys tease them for it bad enough already.

Most of the team is already there when Rush and Dave make it down to the dining room. There are a few spots left on the benches, though. Blocter starts to get up, to shift so they can sit together, but Rush waves for him not to bother. He lets Dave take that spot, and he gets one down at the other end of the table, at Caedmon's left.

A lot of the guys have gotten rid of their heavier gear -- not Glenys, who acts like her mail coat is as comfortable as ordinary clothes, and not Rhagoh, who doesn't have a lot of extra stuff he _could_ take off in public, but Baulson and Loki, and Caedmon, too. He's wearing what Rush figures must be traditional sovani gear, banded leather that leaves all his arms bare, instead of the Silver Falcon plate he wears in battle. It was hard to see before, with him being so covered up, but now when he reaches across the table for the salt it looks like he has stripes on his arms. Pretty cool. Torgal and Wyngale are both solid-colored, and Allan will probably _never_ take off enough armor to show otherwise, so Rush had sort of figured all sovani were. The pattern looks really neat in the lamplight, though.

Dinner's a local specialty, these dumplings with a name Rush can't pronounce, made from the Deathclaws they get in the desert. It's pretty good stuff -- a little spicy, but good, and there's a sweet palm wine to wash it down with. Everybody eats a lot, and the qsiti serving their table teases them about it the third or fourth time he has to bring out another platter. It's one of those nights when Rush just wants to keep doing this, traveling with the whole crew and having adventures together, for the rest of his life. It seems kind of crazy that it was fighting the Conqueror that brought them all together, when it's become a chance to have so many good times.

When the serving qsiti brings out a tray of flaky pastry for dessert, Rush leans over to get Caedmon's attention. "You busy tonight?" he says.

Caedmon's eyes dilate a little and then contract again. Rush doesn't have enough experience with sovani to be sure, but he thinks that's surprise. "I am not," Caedmon says. "Was there something you required?"

Rush shrugs. "I haven't seen much of Balterossa after dark," he says. "I was hoping you could show me around a little."

"I would be honored," Caedmon says. "Your company is always a pleasure."

Rush grins. "That's what I'm hoping for," he says. One of Caedmon's ears flicks. Rush wishes he knew how to read that.

He glances down to the other end of the table in time to catch Dave laughing at something Baulson's just said. Dave catches his eye and smiles, mouths _go ahead_, in case he still needs reassuring.

Rush turns back to Caedmon. "Let's go," he says.

"As you wish," Caedmon answers. He stands up, moving easier without his armor in the way, and Rush gets up too. They're close enough together that it's really obvious how big Caedmon is, how big sovani are in general. Rush only comes up to his shoulder. Maybe that ought to be intimidating, but Dave's right, Caedmon's a good guy.

They leave the Stardust and step out into the cool night air. The Merchants' Lot is pretty quiet after dark -- the Guild hall is shuttered, and the pub's really the only place that looks alive.

"Come," Caedmon says. His sandals crunch softly on the packed sand. "The city's beauty lies further in."

"Sounds good to me," Rush says. He follows Caedmon through the narrow street leading down to the market. It's shadowy and empty, stone archways stretched overhead, and in the distance the bells of Mojcado Castle are ringing, hollow, ghostly. The hairs stand up on the back of Rush's neck --

And then they step out onto the tiled walkway of the Spirale Market, and Rush stops just to stare. "Wow," he says. The lanterns are lit outside the shops, each pair a different color, a row of softly-shining lights curving down and away into the dark, wrapping around the huge central well where the Remnant Tao Tie sits at the center of the city. Rush takes another step forward, and a ripple of gold light runs down the near side of the Tao Tie, briefly lighting the street around them.

"Impressive, is it not?" Caedmon says. "He digs into the earth instead of claiming the heavens like Elysion or the Umbermarici, so I think sometimes he is not so widely admired. But he makes the nights in Balterossa beautiful."

"Yeah," Rush agrees. "That's really something." He takes a little half-step sideways, closer to Caedmon, and Caedmon doesn't move away. "You really like it here, huh?"

Caedmon hums thoughtfully. It sounds a little like purring, and Rush wonders for a second if he makes noises like that when -- "I do," he says. "Some of my brethren are not pleased to have passed into the age of mitra, but I think there is much we can learn from you."

"Really?" Rush says. "Thanks." He smiles, and Caedmon smiles back, sort of slowly like he has to think about making his face move that way.

They wander the length of the market, stopping at one point to listen to a street musician playing the tanbur, the thin strings echoing off the walls of the alley around her. Further down, they pause to talk to a yama in the Silver Falcon uniform. Caedmon explains to Rush that the Balterossa chapter of the Silver Falcons has always been mostly a mitra organization, but he's been trying to recruit from the other races too. Rush agrees it's a good idea -- look how well Athlum's army works, right? Only Caedmon's ears sort of swivel back for a second at that.

"Something wrong?" Rush asks.

"Not at all," Caedmon says, a little too fast.

"You sure?" Rush says. He puts a hand on one of Caedmon's arms, and that gets a reaction, too -- people must not touch him often. "I want to help, if I can."

Caedmon looks down at Rush's hand, and Rush doesn't move it. "I was under the impression," he says, "that you and the marquis were...."

"Boyfriends?" Rush supplies, when Caedmon seems stuck for a word.

"Indeed," Caedmon says.

Rush nods. "It's not exclusive, though. I mean, we've talked about it, and, ah, with someone who didn't want to break us up...."

_I have no desire to keep you like a captive_, Dave said when they talked about it the first time. _I have no desire to deny you pleasure. I only ask that you return to me._ He smiled then. _And, of course, that you trust me likewise._

"I see," Caedmon says carefully. He's holding really still.

"Did I read you wrong?" Rush asks, just in case. That'd be pretty embarrassing, but he'd live. "I mean, if you're not interested, that's cool. I'm okay just hanging out."

Caedmon's ears flick back and forth a couple of times, like he can't figure out what they should be doing. It's kind of reassuring that he's nervous, too, even though he's like a million years older than Rush. "I am interested," he says at last.

"Sweet," Rush says. "Who were you rooming with tonight? You think they'd mind if --"

"We do not need to impose on Baulson," Caedmon says. "Nor give your troops such potent fodder for gossip." He takes Rush's hand gently. "This way. I have rooms of my own in Balterossa."

"Oh," Rush says. "Cool."

Caedmon leads the way further down, past where the shops thin out and stop. The lights down at the bottom of the spiral come fewer and farther between, and they aren't as colorful, but there's enough light for Rush to see the Silver Falcon emblem on the banners outside the building where they stop.

"Not too worried about the gossip yourself, huh?" he says.

"My room, at least, is my own," Caedmon says. "It is more privacy than we would have had, is it not?" He opens the heavy front door.

"Fair enough," Rush says. He follows Caedmon inside. The Silver Falcon barracks, or whatever it is, is pretty well lit inside, lamps on either side of the hallway, the walls and floor made of the same light-colored stone. Apart from the two guys on guard duty at the entrance, there's nobody in the hallway, but Rush can hear laughter from one of the rooms they pass, and loud voices from another.

"Morale is good," Caedmon says. He sounds happy. "This has been a good year for the Falcons."

"Yeah," Rush says. "For a lot of us, I think."

Caedmon stops at a door at the end of the hall and unlocks it. Rush gets a little nervous flutter in the pit of his stomach for a second. He's never hooked up with anyone who wasn't a mitra before. Caedmon glances over at him, eyes a little too wide like he's nervous too, and Rush thinks of course Caedmon hasn't hooked up with anyone who _was_ a mitra before. That kind of makes it easier.

Inside, Caedmon's room looks pretty comfy, especially for a military guy living by himself. There's a pair of halberds crossed on one wall, yeah, but there's also a shelf of books and little statues and stuff, and some bright patterned tapestries that probably came from the market here. Instead of an ordinary bed, there's what looks kind of like a big nest on the floor, piled pillows and blankets in all different colors. Rush grins.

"Pretty cool," he says.

"I am glad you think so," Caedmon says. He sounds a little less serious than usual, the tone of voice Rush would usually associate with someone smiling. So that's good.

"Okay," Rush says. "So." And then he's not quite sure where to start. If they were both mitra, they'd be kissing now, but he's not sure if sovani are really built for that, with how sharp their teeth are. He sort of wishes he'd asked Dave more about how it worked with Torgal.

Still, just standing there won't get them anywhere. He takes a step closer, and Caedmon uncrosses his lower arms so he can reach for Rush with both pairs. That's pretty sweet already, four hands settling against his back as Rush slides his arms around Caedmon's middle, between one set of shoulders and the other. He looks up -- sovani are _big_, which he totally knew, but it's different to feel it -- and Caedmon leans down slowly to rub his cheek against Rush's. His fur is soft as velvet.

"Wow," Rush says. "Oh, man. Wow." He nuzzles the line of Caedmon's jaw, and Caedmon licks the base of his throat with a rough, raspy tongue. Rush shivers, letting his head fall back. Caedmon's teeth touch his skin for just a second, almost gentle, and Rush chokes on a noise he thinks maybe he should be embarrassed to make.

"Your skin is so delicate," Caedmon says. "Unprotected like that. You will tell me if I am too rough?"

Rush nods. "Of course," he says. "It actually -- it feels really good." He takes half a step back and Caedmon lets go of him, so he can reach down and pull up the hem of his shirt. "I kind of just want to give you more to touch, you know?"

"Please do," Caedmon says, in the smiling tone of voice. His eyes are wide, the pupils huge. He watches as Rush starts to get undressed, and doesn't even look away when he starts undoing the buckles on his own leathers.

He _is_ striped underneath -- creamy pale on his chest and belly, the same color as his muzzle, and then rich brown with black stripes along his sides and back. Rush can't help looking down, when his pants come off -- are they big everywhere? -- and it's sort of weird, like his cock is mostly tucked inside his body somehow. Rush thinks about having it inside _him_ instead, and his cock twitches a little.

Caedmon opens his mouth just slightly, just enough to bare the points of his teeth, and breathes in sharply. "You are...intoxicating," he says. "You smell very good."

"I feel pretty good, too," Rush says, grinning, as he kicks off the last of his clothes.

Caedmon flicks one ear. "Show me," he says, and reaches for Rush again.

Rush doesn't need to be asked twice. He slides back into Caedmon's arms and that feels _great_. Caedmon's fur is short and sleek, really soft, over the solid firmness of muscle. The pads of his hands are callused rough, and his nails are sharp enough to pass for claws, so it's almost too intense to handle, feeling all that stuff at once. Rush rubs his face against the fur of Caedmon's chest, and he can feel the low rumble of it when Caedmon laughs.

"Will you lie down with me?" he asks, even more formal and polite about it than Dave was the first time.

"Sure," Rush says. "Probably more comfortable than trying to do this standing up, right?"

He follows Caedmon down, onto the nest of blankets, and lets Caedmon pull him close to half-straddle one strong leg. Man, if Rush thought the feel of fur against his chest was nice, on the insides of his thighs it's amazing. He squirms in Caedmon's lap. Caedmon's purring now, and Rush does his best to return the compliment.

Caedmon slips one hand down between them and takes hold of Rush's cock. His grip's really gentle, but his hand feels rough all the same, and Rush moans. "It is not too much?" Caedmon asks. "Forgive me; I know you are not truly so delicate. I have seen you fight. But your skin feels so smooth, so --"

Rush shakes his head, laughs. "Don't worry about it," he says. "It's intense, but it's good. I'll let you know if it gets to be too much. Promise."

"Thank you," Caedmon says. He strokes Rush's cock slowly with one hand, explores with the other three, stroking Rush's back and arms and thighs. For a minute Rush just closes his eyes and feels it, lets himself be overwhelmed by sensations. He feels like he's geting away with something, there's so _much_ going on.

But it's not fair for him to just enjoy the ride and not help out, right? So he reaches down after a minute to see if he can do something to make Caedmon feel good, too. The sheath covering Caedmon's cock has started to pull back by itself, and when Rush touches the bare, slick skin of it, Caedmon growls, pushing up into his hand so the sheath slides back further.

"Wow," Rush says, looking down as he wraps his hand around the shaft. His fingers barely meet. "You're huge."

Caedmon makes an amused rumbling sound. "That does not surprise you, does it?" he asks. "My people are larger than yours in all other respects, after all."

Rush ducks his head, grinning. "Fair enough," he says. He strokes a few more times, getting a feel for it, and Caedmon arches up into him, nipping his shoulder and growling. The idea of riding Caedmon's cock seemed really hot, but Rush wasn't expecting to have quite this much to work with. There's not a really good way to say that, is there? "So, ah, I'm not sure how you saw this going," he says -- maybe they could still manage it, but it would take some relaxing herb and a whole lot of oil "-- but are you going to be really disappointed if we don't fuck?"

Caedmon flinches, and his ears pin back. "I would not do that to you," he says.

That wasn't the reaction Rush was expecting. "Why not?"

"Why _not_?" Caedmon repeats, like it's a weird question. "Is that what you are accustomed to?"

"Yeah," Rush says. "I mean, not _every_ time, and we switch up a lot, but yeah." Caedmon blinks at him a couple times, and then Rush thinks he might know what the problem is. "It's not so friendly with sovani, huh?"

"Not between two males," Caedmon says. "A friendly encounter between males would be more like this, touching only, neither seeking to best the other." Rush almost asks, what about Torgal and Allan, then, because it sure sounded like they actually fucked, but he's not sure they count as friendly anyway. And then Caedmon asks, "You enjoy it?"

"Of course. Wouldn't do it if I didn't," Rush says. "Maybe me and Dave will have to show you sometime."

Caedmon shudders so hard that for a second Rush thinks that's finished him off right there. "I would like that," he says hoarsely.

Rush grins. "It's a date," he says.

And he'd probably say more, except that Caedmon's hands are moving again, rough strokes along the length of his cock, another hand cupping his balls while the others explore, and he's a little distracted. Caedmon licks his collar bone and purrs again, like he tastes good, and one of his hands slides up the back of Rush's thigh, sharp nails just barely grazing skin. Rush squirms, arching his back, trying to keep up his rhythm, but it's not easy. Caedmon's got an unfair advantage, driving him crazy, and eventually Rush just figures he'll have to let Caedmon finish with him and then return the favor. He rocks into Caedmon's grip, moaning, and that other hand slides further up the back of his leg -- nails dragging along the crease at the top of his thigh and then inward, really careful, barely touching -- Caedmon's palm splays flat against his ass and spreads him open, so he can touch there, and the prickle of claws touching his asshole makes Rush curse, wrenches everything tight inside him at once and makes him lose it right there, coming in Caedmon's hands.

He'll have to try this again sometime with the herbs and oil, he really will. For both of their sakes.

For now, though, he's just going to have to improvise. "Okay," he says, shifting back a little so he'll have more room and getting both hands on Caedmon's cock, "my turn."

"Aah," Caedmon says, pushing up into Rush's hands, "yes." He's probably used to it pretty rough, from the sound of things, so Rush doesn't worry about being gentle. He strokes hard, catching the thick ridge along the underside of the shaft, making Caedmon hiss and growl. The sight of those bared sharp teeth makes Rush suddenly sure he can think of something else sovani probably don't do.

"Hey, tell me how this feels, okay?" he says. He squirms the rest of the way out of Caedmon's lap and bends down. Caedmon's fur smells kind of smoky and sweet, and the head of his cock is stark, bare red. Rush licks his lips and stretches his mouth wide, and he can just barely get the head in his mouth. He's going to have to be really careful to keep his teeth out of the way, and he still has room to get both hands on the shaft -- and Caedmon's making these amazing sounds, stuff a mitra's throat just couldn't do, somewhere between a purr and a moan. His cock tastes a little strange, almost sweet like the smell of his fur, and his hands settle on Rush's shoulders and back so carefully it's like he's trying not to scare Rush off. Rush hums, presses his tongue flat against the underside of the head, and concentrates on not choking. He has to do most of the work with his hands, mostly just jerking Caedmon off into his mouth, but it sounds like his efforts are still appreciated.

His jaw's already getting sore when he tastes a trace of sharpness smeared against his tongue, and then Caedmon gasps his name and he braces himself for a whole lot more -- and he can still barely swallow fast enough when Caedmon's cock stiffens and shoots in his mouth in three hard pulses. It's not quite as bitter as he's used to -- almost the same, but not quite.

He sits up, rubbing at the back of his jaw where the joints ache from being held so far open, and grins. Caedmon's eyes are so dilated there's barely a rim of blue around the black, and he's panting, open-mouthed.

"Rush," he says, like he's really impressed, like he's really grateful. He reaches out, slowly, almost awkward. Rush crawls into his arms, laughs a little when Caedmon rubs his cheek against Rush's temple, buries his face in Rush's hair. He's purring again. Rush reaches up to scratch at the base of his ears, and Caedmon purrs louder.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight," Rush says. He looks up, and Caedmon's eyes have fallen half-shut as he leans into Rush's hands. "I had a really good time."

"The pleasure was mine," Caedmon says. He pets Rush's back with one pair of hands, just holding on loosely with the other.

Rush grins. "Sweet. That mean we can do this again sometime?"

Caedmon blinks slowly, and then gives Rush a really good try at a mitra smile. "I would be delighted."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [First Blood](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8015) by [Laylah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah)




End file.
